Twelve Bell Canons (2004)
for
solo orchestral bells

by
Robert Morris

Program Notes

This piece has twelve movements, each named by a month of the year. Only one of the movements constitutes a performance of the piece: the movement whose name corresponds to the month in which the piece is to be played.

The piece is played quietly, preferably outdoors, at a memorial event or some other solemn occasion, or during meditation sessions.

Percussionist Brett Dietz has produced and recorded all twelve of the bell canons on video. In 2012 he recorded each canon once a month in an appropriate location in and around Baton Rouge. Click below to see these videos, plus a video of all the canons from January to December.

After he completed the twelve videos in December 2012, Dietz composed a video collage of all the canons resulting in a sort of meta-canon. Click here to view Brett Dietz's video composition.